Environment authority made 31 requests for criminal prosecution since 2016

Since 2016, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has made 31 requests for criminal prosecution, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said in response to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Rebekah Borg.

Borg asked Dalli for a breakdown of the 'Stop and Compliance' orders issued by the ERA since 2016.

The minister reported there were no such orders in 2016, 13 in 2017, 26 in 2018, 62 in 2019, 34 in 2020, 11 in 2021, 12 in 2022, five in 2023, and one up to August 2024.

In total, 164 'Stop and Compliance' orders have been issued since 2016.

Dalli noted that such orders are just one of the tools available to the ERA. She also provided data on administrative fines and requests for criminal prosecution.

Regarding administrative fines, Dalli reported 0 in 2016, one in 2017, 13 in 2018, 99 in 2019, 170 in 2020, 24 in 2021, 90 in 2022, 120 in 2023, and 72 up to August 2024, resulting in a total of 589 fines since 2016.

She also outlined the number of fines related specifically to waste placed for public collection, with 0 fines in 2016 and 2017, one in 2018, 110 in 2019, 172 in 2020, 282 in 2021, 164 in 2022, 514 in 2023, and 676 up to August 2024.

This brings the total to 1,919 fines of this type since 2016.

On the 31 requests for criminal prosecution, Dalli said there were 0 in 2016 and 2017, one in 2018, seven in 2019, 12 in 2020, none in 2021, two in 2022, seven in 2023, and two up to August 2024.